Glue hunting: would the public rapporteur of the State Council finally lean in favour of birds?

Glue hunting: would the public rapporteur of the State Council finally lean in favour of birds?
19.11.2019
Glue hunting: would the public rapporteur of the State Council finally lean in favour of birds?
Hunting

Wednesday, November 20th, 2019 will mark a turning point – hopefully, decisive – against hunting with glue, cruelly trapping small birds by this method which prevents them from escaping free, forces them to panic, injure themselves or even die. Never before had this happened: the public rapporteur is preparing to conclude the referral of all ministerial decrees on the hunt with glue, which we attacked at the State Council in 2018. Before this it was the court of justice of the European Union, and for that, it takes up the argument that we had developed against the decrees of 2019.

Editorial at November 20th 3.00 p.m.

At the hearing, the public rapporteur asked for the cancellation of the “wild geese” decree 2O19 and the referral of the “hunting with glue” decrees 2018, which we attacked at the State Council, before the court of justice of the European Union by taking up our arguments against the 2019 decrees. Delayed, response in three weeks.

Unsurprisingly, the public rapporteur confirms in his conclusions the suspension of the decree on the extension of the 2019 wild geese hunting season by asking for its cancellation once and for all. So obviously, we absolutely do not prejudge the final decision of the judges of the State Council, but the function of the public rapporteur is to indicate to them the ins and outs of the appeals and to advise them on a direction.

Coincidence?

At the same time as we filed the appeals on the 2019 decrees, the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition expressly asked all the Prefects concerned to carry out checks on the quotas of birds hunted. Why? Because we asked for proof that the birds hunted are in small quantities, since this is what the ministry claims … How many, where, when and which birds are trapped, which ones are released? Since we are told that the traps are selective, the minimum would be to be based on facts! And to say that the defenders of the planet and of animals are often considered at best as just dreamers, at worst as ridiculous ultra-sensitive … But as soon as we demand accountability, we realize that there is none! Who is rational in history?

The interest of hunters is not the general interest

Biodiversity is depleted, birds disappear while they are part of the common heritage of Humanity. The interest of hunters has for too long been confused with the general interest, namely the conservation of our heritage, and therefore of the individuals who compose it. The fact that the European Commission has given France formal notice confirms the non-selectiveness of the glue hunting, as well as the lack of supervision and control by the authorities, which gives us good hope for a probable end to the glue hunting in the medium term. Even more so (other «traditional» hunts, the lengthening of the duration of the hunting of wild geese, etc)!

We await with determination the audience of Wednesday, November 20th and the decision that will follow for glue hunting and that of wild geese, as well as the repercussions of the formal notice of France by the European Commission, a procedure in will failure be triggered? For the other traditional hunts such as that of the falling wire traps, netting on land and on the lakes, we will continue to systematically attack those arrested and who have targeted small birds.

When the birds fall from the sky

When the birds fall from the sky
15.11.2019
When the birds fall from the sky
Hunting

From the skies of our countryside and cities, birds are disappearing everywhere. Dying from hunger, under a hail of bullets or from hunting with glue, what else remains for them, hope? For each of them, we will fight to the end.

Birds are disappearing everywhere. This phenomenon is general, it spares neither birds from the cities, nor from the countryside. 421 million birds have disappeared in less than 30 years in Europe and 73% of Parisian sparrows in 13 years.

The causes are multiple and cumulative: phytosanitary products, the disappearance of insects, sites where to nest and climate change … As if that were not enough, they must also face so-called managers of nature, those who seem to above all want to eradicate all in their path.

In Deux-Sèvres, partridges are in very poor condition, with eight birds missing from ten. Yes, partridges, the very ones that are supposedly well managed by hunters. Having to endure the local shoots and then the reintroduction to the countryside of these birds by means of the hunters efficient breeding schemes…

Irresponsible right up to the end of a rifle

And some speak of “responsible” hunting? But where is the responsibility when one takes to the forests that are deserted by walkers with a gun in hand to shoot all that moves? And of course, there have been mistakes made – damage to a protected species (dogs, cats and even residents who dared to go out into their gardens have been targeted)! Where is the responsibility when we release weakened, fattened animals, who have been selected to be easy prey? Where is the responsibility when using ancestral methods that blindly trap or kill? Where is the responsibility when a bird from a migratory species, has be reintroduced or protected in another country, only to be slaughtered while crossing ours?

Concerning responsibility, well there is obviously none when you see the disappearance of species. And what is left? A bloodthirsty leisure activity which desperately tries to justify its killings when its country’s population is largely opposed to it.

All for one and one for all

So, for all the bird victims, we chose the path of appeal, because a single bird killed by hunting is a bird that will be missing, an individual who had the right to live. For each and every one of them, we will go all the way. And not one case in law through the courts is to be feared in case of failure.

In France, the courts and tribunals are not bound by their previous decisions, but a new act of law can be opposed in a new case. So, nothing to fear then, quite the contrary, for those whom we will protect and continue to fight for without stopping. And since the State Council seems to have taken the side of the hunters by dismissing our requests, it is before the European Commission that they will have to justify their actions!

We will be on November 20th at 2 p.m. be Infront of the State Council for our appeal to the merits concerning these orders of cruel traditional hunts (using glue, etc.) which trap and injure, even kill, blackbirds, thrushes, and many ‘other little birds. We will also be there to cancel the ministerial order authorizing the killing of wild geese during February, while they are crossing our skies and are in full migration. At the beginning of February, we had obtained the suspension of this order.

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